Feel the Run

Featured

How running can help with anxiety disorders such as OCD & Panic

By Ryan Light, Running/Anxiety Coach

Anxiety disorder is not a case that cannot be treated. It can be minimized until finally controlled that the person who experiences it can actually stop the debilitating effects from happening. The great news is that help for treating anxiety disorder these days is more frequent than ever. There are different kinds of professional help that you can turn to for anxiety medication. Because when it comes to treating an anxiety disorder, you need to make sure that you only turn to a trusted technique that will have no side effects but rather leave you well treated for your OCD or panic attacks.

For some, dealing with anxiety and panic can be a daily battle and something that somebody not suffering an anxiety disorder would simply ignore can play havoc with those affected. Phobias are common. Some are dreadful of spiders and snakes, other people would almost rather die than have to make a speech facing a group. Small places (such as elevators) put some into a chilly sweat, while fear of heights is also very popular. Running as a relaxation technique for anxiety can alleviate most all of these disorders.

Benefits of running as a mechanism of anxiety treatment

When your body goes into panic attack mode, you’re basically losing control of your body’s reaction to what it is experiencing around it. You’ll find that you’re sweating, your heart is racing, you have blurred vision, you might have chest pains and you probably feel quite dizzy. Your body has engaged the sympathetic nervous system to help protect you from whatever you perceive to be threatening you. And with a panic attack this threat is almost always a perceptive one – you’re afraid of something happening that it hasn’t actually happened yet. But the fear of this event occurring is enough to send you into an emotional and psychological nose dive.

In the height of a panic attack your body is flooded with adrenaline that can cause the urge to run, it will cause your heart to race, and it can cause the sudden sweating you experience too.

Production of endorphin chemicals

Running exercise floods your body with a different type of chemical called endorphins or what some people call “feel good chemicals”. These are naturally occurring in the body and basically make you feel really good. And they’re an ideal way of breaking yourself out of any kind of emotional or psychological rut you’ve found yourself in – they can shift your emotional state quite quickly. The highest levels of endorphin release in the human body are found when we either have an orgasm or sneeze – you know how good a sneeze feels, right?

How running can help with Anxiety Disorders

Running for obsessive compulsive disorder minimization doesn’t translate to training for a marathon to get an endorphin rush. Anything as simple as just going for a walk before or after your dinner each day can do. Or perhaps walking home from work in the evening – assuming it’s safe to do so. You could treat your dog to a walk, or if you don’t have a pet that can be walked you can cycle, swim, jog, skip, do jumping jacks, hit the bag for 5 minutes or just do some push-ups.

Even the gentlest forms of running can greatly increase your endorphin levels to the point where you feel that natural high. And how does this help with anxiety? Simply because you’re changing your mental and physiological state away from one of anxiety and stress to happiness and relaxation.

Try including some running exercises in your day each day and stick with it for at least seven days straight – you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes to your overall mood and feeling of well-being.

Conclusion

Even if you’re not a big fan of getting regular exercise by running, experts advise that those suffering from the disorder should not dismiss the possibility. However, they are encouraged to take on the challenge as running might actually help with your anxiety disorder. Lately, people are becoming more and more lazy and more and more obese with each passing generation, and this general lack of health has seen our healthcare system put under extreme stress and it seems to have also caused an explosion in the number of people suffering from anxiety disorders and similar types of medical conditions.

Looking for an anxiety coach? Please reach out to contact me as I’ve helped dozens of people beat their anxiety and get back to living life.
[contact-form-7 id=”38″ title=”Contact form 1″]

The shopping experience at MCA.MN is wonderful because of the great discounts offered and free shipping to all parts of the world. There is also a knowledge center for the watches where you get great information regarding the different watches. Vintage and Vogue clone Watches We only offer Luxury Timepiece with sophisticated crafts and delicate design, which is just same as the real version. Whether you are a white clollar, a business, or a teacher, you need a high-end counterfeit watch to raise our working efficiency.

Of those, 15 million suffer from social anxiety disorder; 14.8 million have major depressive disorder; 7.7 million are affected by post-traumatic stress disorder, and 7 million have a general anxiety disorder.

That’s a lot of people going through what you’re dealing with! OK, now let’s add in another common condition: allergies. About 50 million people suffer from some type of allergy, whether it’s to pollen, food or pet dander. Allergens vary as much as anxiety disorders.

So, what happens when anxiety and allergy problems are combined? While the two may seem independent of each other, there is a link. You may notice that as your anxiety and stress increase, you experience an increase in allergy symptoms. In reverse, you notice persistent allergy symptoms and experience elevated levels of stress and anxiety as a result.

There are several theories that contribute to the theory that the two are interrelated, according to CalmClinic.com:

Some allergies cause changes in the brain and body, which in turn causes anxiety.

Having allergies cause stress and discomfort, which may cause people to develop anxiety.

Allergies do not cause anxiety but make anxiety worse.

Allergies have no effect on anxiety, but anxiety makes allergies worse.

Allergies and anxiety are independent of each other but may have some common condition between them, such as differences in immune system health.

It depends on the person of course, but studies have shown that high-stress levels actually do increase allergy symptoms and that allergies themselves can contribute to anxiety symptoms. One research paper concluded that despite varying methodologies used to test the theory, 9 out of 11 studies showed a direct relationship between allergy and anxiety symptoms.

However, another article from the Anxiety Centre states that allergies do not cause anxiety. The emotional, physiological and psychological state that’s created from anxiety is because we are worrying and fearing the worst.

“We choose the behaviors we use, therefore, nothing forces us to choose apprehensive behavior, including allergies,” according to the article. “However, because more severe forms of allergies can have serious health consequences, you can choose to worry about your allergies, allergy symptoms, and allergic reaction, which does cause the physiological, psychological, and emotional state of anxiety, since worry is an example of apprehensive behavior.”

Regardless of which came first: the chicken or the egg, using techniques to reduce anxiety need to be addressed because anxiety is still an emotional reaction despite a physical cause. Learning how to control your anxious thought processes can lead to living a higher quality of life.

Anxiety breathing techniques, meditation, physical exercise, getting good sleep, and anxiety therapy are just a few ways to divert your attention from the immediate pain you may be experiencing.

The mind-body health correlation is another factor. The good things we do for our bodies are also good for our minds. Doing things you enjoy, eating healthy and getting medical exams and check-ups are all important. Mental symptoms affect our physical health, which is why it’s so important to take good care of our bodies. And vice versa.

One in four Americans have a diagnosable mental illness, but there are things you can do every day to take care of the mind and body. You don’t need to let anxiety and allergies rule your life. What can you do today to ease your symptoms?

Getting in Shape: 7 Tips to Help You Get Back to Fit

Getting fit can be a challenge. If you have not exercised in a long time, then getting a fit can be even more difficult. Fortunately, there are ways that you can overcome this challenge and get back in shape.

Lift Weights

Contrary to popular belief, lifting weights is not just for people who want to bulk up. If you are trying to get in shape, then lifting weights will greatly benefit you. Adding muscle to your body will help you burn more calories. In fact, you burn an additional 45 calories for every one pound of muscle that you have. This means that if you have 10 pounds of muscle on your body, then you can burn 450 calories per day.

Eat Light

You do not necessarily have to restrict your food intake in order to get fit. However, you may have to change the way that you eat. If you normally eat two or three big meals, then you may want to have four or five smaller ones instead. One of the reasons that many people overeat is because they wait until they are ravenous to start eating. If you eat light meals throughout the day, then you will keep yourself full.

Keep Moving Throughout the Day

The average person spends 63 percent of their day sitting. Studies have shown that even if you exercise regularly, sitting for long periods of time can still be dangerous for your health. If you have a sedentary job, then you should try to get up and move throughout the day. You can burn an additional 350 calories per day by moving throughout the day.

Get More Protein

Protein is filling, so it can help you eat less. It can also help you build muscle. If you are a meat eater, then you can get protein from lean poultry, beef and fish. Vegetarians can get protein from beans, nuts, tofu and whole grains.

High-Intensity Interval Training

Exercising for a longer period of time will not necessary help you get results faster. You can get more done in less time by performing high-intensity interval training. This is a method of training that involves switching between short bouts of intense exercise and longer periods of recovery. HIIT workouts are typically performed for 20 to 30 minutes.

Eat Lots of Fruits and Vegetables

Adding more fruits and vegetables is one of the simplest things that you can do in order to make your diet. Fruits and vegetables are high in fiber as well as many of the other nutrients that you need. Most people are not getting enough fiber. One of the many great things about fruits and vegetables is that you can eat a lot of them without adding too many calories to your diet.

Take Dietary Supplements

The best way to get in shape is to follow a healthy diet and exercise. However, adding dietary supplements can help you lose weight. Read Vasayo reviews and other online resources to figure out what will have the biggest impact on your health. Chromium is one of the supplements that you can use in order to lose weight. It works by stabilizing blood sugar. Blood sugar fluctuations can lead to food cravings, which can impede weight loss. B complex is another great supplement to take. It can help increase your energy level.

It is not easy to get back in shape if you have not had a fitness routine for a long time. Fortunately, making a few dietary changes and exercising will help you get back in shape. You can also add dietary supplements to your regimen, which can enhance your results.

Sensorimotor Obsessions: A less well-known type of OCD

You might want to think twice before calling someone “so OCD” in jest, as it’s an insult to people with an actual mental disorder called obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The prevailing stereotype is that people with OCD are perfectionists or hyper-hygienic because they are constantly checking to see if the oven is turned off, meticulously organizing objects in closets and on desks, and washing hands numerous times a day. It undermines what’s really going through someone’s head, and not all people with OCD manifest these particular symptoms.

Individuals with OCD have recurring, unwanted thoughts, ideas or sensations (obsessions with contamination, for example) that make them feel driven to do something repetitively (compulsions like hand washing).

Imagine you’re waiting in your car at an intersection, watching someone cross the street and thinking to yourself you could actually hit them in your car. You would never actually do it but you replay the scenario in your mind repeatedly. You even check your fenders throughout the day to make sure you didn’t actually run someone over. You know for a fact that you didn’t hit anyone, but the fear of the possibility of killing or hurting another is so disturbing and intense you have to keep checking because it seems like the only option.

This is what’s it’s like for some people who have obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The obsessive-compulsive mind is performing rituals to temporarily ease anxiety on a specific obsession. They are worried about causing harm to themselves, family members, and strangers. Some people experience violent imagery and intrusive sexual thoughts, concerns about right and wrong, urges to tap, or line-up objects.

While mainstream literature talks about “classic” OCD, there’s a subset and less talked about type of OCD called sensorimotor obsession where sufferers are preoccupied with bodily functions and sensations.

“The fear of never being able to stop thinking about or focusing on their swallowing, or beating heart, can cause intense anxiety in OCD sufferers,” writes Psych Central author Janet Singer. “Those who are consumed with worry about swallowing might actually be afraid of choking, or they might just be tormented by the thought that they will never be able to stop thinking about swallowing.

It’s especially stressful because we all have to blink, breath and swallow to live, yet there’s no escape from the obsessions.There is hope and those who get treatment can benefit greatly and thrive again.

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy

This type of cognitive behavioral therapy is one form of treatment for sensory obsessions as well as most types of OCD. It may seem counterintuitive because participants are encouraged to face their fears head on, not pretend they don’t exist.

ERP is a type of therapy where you “expose” yourself to your thoughts, images, and situations that make you go into a tailspin and start obsessing. You willingly pay attention to whatever bodily function you are agonizing over. The “response” aspect refers to consciously making a choice not to engage in the compulsive behavior. With the help of a therapist who has experience in treating OCD, you’ll learn how to manage your symptoms with ERP, so that eventually you’ll be able to guide yourself.

You may be encouraged to verbalize your fears, such as “My life will be ruined,” I’ll never live a normal life,” and “This obsession will never end,” as part of the exposure process.

“Additionally, patients may be asked to invite in the sensations and accompanying fears throughout the day,” according to an article in Beyond OCD. “This is accomplished by having patients place reminders (such as Post-It notes or stickers) at home, in the car, and at work. These reminders help to cue patients to engage in repeated exposures throughout the day, thus increasing the likelihood of successful habituation.”

The idea is that over time, the anxiety will diminish by doing the opposite of what OCD is compelling you to do.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness and meditation go hand-in-hand with ERP therapy. They both involve paying attention to our bodies in the present moment, acknowledging whatever it is we’re feeling and accepting what is. Part of your routine at night should be to give yourself permission to leave all your worries behind and get yourself prepared for sleep. Some suggestions include listening to soothing music, praying, meditating, and writing a to-do list to get nagging tasks off your mind.

Authors of a book called The Mindfulness Workbook for OCD say mindfulness-based approaches are proven to be effective in treating OCD and anxiety. The book offers tools for “managing the unwanted thoughts and compulsive urges that are associated with OCD. The thought is one can learn to challenge their own “distorted thinking and stop treating thoughts as threats and feelings as facts.”

It seems scary for people with these disorders because they involve developing awareness and acceptance of the very things that are at the heart of OCD.

One study found that when moderate aerobic exercise was added to participants’ regular treatment program for 12 weeks, severity and frequency of symptoms of OCD were reduced immediately after exercise. Part of this can be chalked up to the body’s release of endorphins – the feel good chemical – during exercise.

If you’re not sure where to begin with an exercise program, many medical practices host wellness classes and organize exercise groups. Some of the world’s premier private practices and hospitals will share information about classes on their blogs and social media. Be sure to go to your doctor’s or medical practice’s website to see if they offer such auxiliary services. Don’t be afraid to contact them directly.

Sensorimotor OCD can be extremely debilitating, complicated and scary, which is why sufferers need to do everything they can to help themselves by exercising, practicing mindfulness, seeing a qualified counselor, and employing CBT techniques like exposure and response prevention therapy.

The Benefits and Drawbacks of Running in the Cold

Brrr! Winter is definitely on its way! If you live somewhere that experiences harsh winters, you might be wondering if maintaining your running habit is worth it. But just because it’s cold doesn’t mean you have to give up on your fitness goals.

Winter is one of the best seasons to be a runner. Sure, the weather is cold, but that keeps the general crowd indoors. There’s less competition for sidewalk space. Plus, you get to shop for new winter running outfits.

Benefits

Yes, running in the cold is challenging, but a new challenge is good for personal growth. Take a look at your usual routine and ask yourself, “How can I change things up?”

Pick a new route that’s consistently cleared of snow, or find a neighborhood adorned with Christmas lights. Set new goals for distance and time to keep things interesting. Or you can pick one of the many holiday charity runs to train for.

Running in the cold means you have a great excuse to shop for new winter running clothes. Good shoes are essential to protect you from slipping on ice. Warmer leggings and sweaters are also a must if you want to survive the cold. Gloves, hats, scarves and smart apparel are fun to wear and easy to customize.

Running in the winter is also a good excuse to make some new friends. Start a group on social media and find other runners in your area to buddy with. Since it’s darker longer, it’s a good idea to run with somebody for your safety. Plus, your buddy or group will help motivate each other and foster accountability.

Drawbacks

Baby, it’s cold outside! Gloves and a scarf might not be enough to get you out the door on those really dark and dreary days. But what will that do to your overall motivation and how will it affect your fitness goals?

Have you ever considered investing in a wetsuit to wear on those cold and wet winter days? That’s what some athletes and obstacle course participants are doing to help keep them dry and warm during winter workouts.

One of the major drawbacks of running in the cold is safety. When winter really kicks in and hits freezing temperatures, you’re at risk of slipping and seriously injuring yourself. One common tip is to “stay low.” Try shortening your strides and keep your feet low to the ground. This will effectively decrease your chances of slipping on ice. Try to run on fresh snow and wear shoes with good traction.

Also, try running when the sun is shining. This won’t always be possible but will decrease your chances of an accident. Obviously, it’s harder for drivers to see you in the dark, especially if it’s raining or snowing. Wear a headlamp and reflective gear to help.

Since safety is such an issue, try running with friends or a dog. As mentioned above, it’s safer this way. But it’s also a great way to be social and get your furry friend out for some exercise too.

Running in the cold can be thrilling and challenging. Are you up for it?

Author Bio:

Vaileria Dennis is a Joint Health Advisor. She focuses on helping patients self-manage long-term conditions due to Joint Pain. She possesses the necessary expertise and capacity to provide this advice. She has given a number of important positive outcomes. She finds her interest in Increasing physical activity, Effective pain management, and Exercises. You can connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, and Pinterest.